Incentives Proposed to Stop Using Animals in Research

Federal Legislation

In 2017, federally-licensed research facilities reported using more than 790,000 animals for research, testing and education. The Humane and Existing Alternatives in Research and Testing Sciences (HEARTS) Act, HR 1209, would seek to reduce this number.

This legislation would amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a system of incentives aimed at encouraging the use of existing humane and scientifically relevant non-animal methods in research proposals from all NIH researchers, as well as from researchers receiving funding from the NIH.

Because the NIH funds so much of the animal-based research being conducted in the U.S., this measure has the potential to greatly reduce the number of animals used, while boosting oversight and funding for non-animal test methods.

Please contact your U.S. Representative and ask them to give their full support to the HEARTS Act.